I haven't the slightest idea if Buffalo has the remanants of an active family or not, nor is that my contention. What I am saying is what you listed in your very first sentence above...the FBI prioritizes...and they are giving CN no priority in the "secondary cities" due to the lack of impact that they currently have or don't have...you do see busts here and there, but they are mainly for gambling (ie sports book, video machines, etc.) and therefore, do not warrant much attention...all that I am saying is that does not equate with the absence of CN...I have no dog in this fight, other than to say, that I very much appreciate what you are saying, but that I am not totally "on board" with the whole "no bust, no LCN" theory.
Once again, the absence of the LCN - and by that I mean a formally structured, active and viable family - is
why the FBI makes it a low priority
in the first place.
There are still living LCN members and associates, some active, in cities here and there but they're not the point of this discussion. It's where they FBI, other law enforcement agencies (state and federal), and mob experts still recognize a family as even existing. And those have already been named.
To argue there
could still be a formally structured, viable and active family in a given area despite the FBI, other law enforcement agencies, and mob experts saying otherwise is just pigheaded. Even if the FBI never made another case against that phantom family, local law enforcement still could.
How much times has to go by before people will admit that a family is gone? 20 years? 30 years? 50 years?
Especially in the long term, cases - or lack thereof - is the surest and clearest sign of the family still existing (and it's level of activity) or it being defunct.
yeah, you cant take the FBI reports or any writers as Gospel because they are often proven wrong or only knowing half truths
Actually, the FBI has proven to be very reliable. Far more so than the BS claims and guesswork of so many on these internet forums. If it wasn't for the feds, we wouldn't have the vast majority of info we do on the mob. And that goes for even the most "hooked in" posters on these forums. The same can be said for the more reputable writers like Capeci, Raab, Robbins, etc.
And the FBI does leave most these small families/crews off their radars bc without political or union corruption, teh book makers and loan sharks arent making an incredible amounts of noise so mot much in the way of headline grabbing anymore
Even if the feds "leave them alone," that doesn't mean state and local law enforcement will. We've still seen cases made against local mob-connected bookies here and there. But those don't necessarily equate to a formally structured, viable and active crime family.
